


Dear Anonymous

by Stagz13



Category: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/M, Identity Reveal, Letters, Marriage Proposal, Misunderstandings, hidden identity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-08 08:03:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21472723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stagz13/pseuds/Stagz13
Summary: Elizabeth and Darcy are in an arranged marriage to each other without knowing who the other is, Elizabeth sends him a letter to form an acquaintance. How will Darcy react? How will this change Elizabeth's perception of him when he comes to town?
Relationships: Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Bennet/Charles Bingley, Lydia Bennet/George Wickham
Comments: 9
Kudos: 89





	Dear Anonymous

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this on FF.net literally years ago and then I went to college and then decided to work abroad and between those two life events never got around to it until now. But here I am, a humble human, hat in hand ready to finish this story. I will be updating on both platforms. 
> 
> Also, this chapter makes a passing remark about child brides- this is not intended reflect a personal opinion on different cultural practices but is intended to be part of internal rant by an unhappy man looking for anything to hate about something that he is not pleased with.

_Dear-_

_I wish I knew what name to put here but my parents refuse to give away any information about you. It is strange that they are so comfortable with giving me away in marriage to a man I have never met. Even more so that they completely fine with the fact I cannot know who you are. You could be an unscrupulous scoundrel for all I know._

_ I'm sorry if this letter offends you I just think we should get to know each other before we spend the rest of our lives with a stranger. I am also forbidden to put my real name down on paper but you can call me Emma until I come up with a better...well let's say alias for lack of a better term. I hope you write back and we can form a rapport. I have to go my sister is calling._

_Yours&c._

_'Emma'_

Sigh. Elizabeth walked towards the door with one last look at the letter to her future husband. She was mad at her parents but knew there was nothing she could do to change this as the marriage had been set up many years before by her parents and the parents of her fiancé.

"Elizabeth, mamma's waiting!"

With one last sigh she walked towards the front hall where her family was waiting to go to church.

Darcy threw his coat at the footman waiting by the door though he knew this was not acceptable behavior for a gentleman.

He had learned today that his father and a distant friend of his father’s had arranged a marriage between himself and the second eldest daughter of the gentleman. It was unusual that the second daughter was chosen for this endeavor, but it seemed as if the second was the favorite of the father even if she was only one when plot was hatched between the patriarchs of the families.

If Darcy was someone who looked on the bright side of things he would at least be glad that there was now no way for Aunt Catherine to be his mother-in-law as she so heartily wished, but his friends were right when they told him he was a pessimist to the end. The chit he was supposed to be marrying was only 16 for god's sake! Granted he would not marry her immediately but it still made him think he was going to have one of those 'child brides' that barbarians in far off places had.

"Mr. Darcy, excuse me but you have correspondence" said Favell, his loyal valet.

Darcy looked at the pile and riffled through until he came upon a letter covered in handwriting he had never seen before. It was sloped and pretty- distinctly feminine but not overly embellished like many young ladies tended to do. His curiosity piqued, he opened the letter and read its contents.

Well, Darcy thought, it is a good idea even if she is impertinent to suggest it. Darcy reached over to his stack of paper and began a letter of his own intent on finding out more about this woman now that she had baited his curiosity.

_Dear 'Emma'_

_Your suggestion is a good one; we best make the most of this situation that we have been thrust in together. Through these letters we should get to know one another better and see if we are compatible. I'll start in this letter, I am a gentleman of wealth- let's call me 'Walter'. I was going to take my father's name and say George but I know another George myself and do not wish to taint myself or you with the use of the epithet, even if it isn’t real. I have a younger sister who is only 12 right now but she is learning to play the pianoforte beautifully. Do you play Emma? You mentioned you had a sister. How many are you?_

_In my spare time I love to ride and read. I read any and everything I can get my hands on most days. It is in part due to my love of reading that I was one of the best in my class at the university but now I must apply that knowledge to tending my estate since father is sick. We are all hoping he is on the mend and will be up and fishing in no time. I must go as the doctor is coming to see father soon but I hope to continue this correspondence with you over time._

_Yours&c._

_'Walter'_


End file.
